Arizona Senate race

You might think John McCain would be a shoo-in for reelection, but he faces a serious primary challenge on his right flank from former Rep. J. D. Hayworth.  Hayworth — Tea Party darling, anti-immigration activist, and until recently host of his own radio talk show — plans to formally announce his candidacy on Feb. 15, but he’s been campaigning and raising money for months. In November, polls showed the two running neck-and-neck, but after McCain announced that Sarah Palin would campaign for him, his numbers shot up; a recent poll showed McCain beating Hayworth 53 to 31. McCain sponsored the first major climate bill in the Senate in 2003 and similar bills in later years, and he pushed a cap-and-trade plan of his own while running for president in 2008, but since losing to Obama, he’s been bashing climate legislation using stock Republican talking points about “cap-and-tax” leading to “a government slush fund.” If a climate bill comes up for a vote in the Senate before Arizona’s Aug. 24 primary, McCain may vote against it to protect himself from Hayworth, who’s criticized the senator for supporting cap-and-trade. If a vote comes after the primary, McCain may be more inclined to support bipartisan climate legislation. No matter who wins the primary, this seat is expected to remain in the GOP column.